All posts tagged Grammys 2013

Who will take home the top prizes at the Grammys? Who will give the best live performances? And who will wear the most outrageous and stylish outfits? Speakeasy is live blogging tonight’s music awards, and we’re reporting live from the show and giving you our take on the TV broadcast as well. The show will feature performances from Frank Ocean, Alicia Keys, Maroon 5, Justin Timberlake, the Black Keys, Fun., the Lumineers, Mumford & Sons, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, and Jack White. In addition, Elton John and Grammy nominee Ed Sheeran will perform together. Join the conversation here and leave your thoughts in the comments.

6:57 pm (EST)

Our Grammy 2013 live blog has started! Join the conversation and leave your thoughts in the comments.

In opening remarks at last night’s Pre-Grammy Gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, CBS Corp. CEO Les Moonves called the event “the most important date on any of our calendars.”

Veteran record executive Clive Davis hosts the dinner show the night before the Grammys each year, and he uses it in part to introduce young performers to power players in the industry. Whitney Houston, Carlos Santana, Alicia Keys, Maroon 5 and Jennifer Hudson played to this audience early on in their careers—examples Mr. Davis doesn’t hesitate to point out.

The Grammys is just “the Clive Davis after-party,” Mr. Moonves said, before introducing the man of the hour. Read More »

The 2013 Grammy nominees represent the changing face of music, with acts like Skrillex, Gotye, Swedish House Mafia, Frank Ocean and the Lumineers up for awards. WSJ’s John Jurgensen gives a preview of the recording industry’s big night. One hint: don’t look for Bruce Springsteen or Bob Dylan to stage a sweep.

Singer-dancer Chris Brown probably will not be charged for misdemeanor battery in the wake of an alleged confrontation with Grammy-nominated singer Frank Ocean at a West Hollywood studio over a parking spot, according to police. Last month, the sheriff’s department had confirmed Brown was named in a battery report. “It’s likely we’re going to close the case because Mr. Ocean does not want to pursue anything further. We’re going to talk to him and close the case,” Steve Whitmore, a spokesperson for the L.A. Sheriff’s Office, told the Wall Street Journal. Brown’s publicist did not return a request for comment. A representative for Ocean declined to comment. Last week, the L.A. Sheriff’s Office had said that Ocean was “desirous of prosecution,” but based on a note on his website, he appears to have had a change of heart. The message read: “As a child I thought if someone jumped me it would result in me murdering or mutilating a man. But as a man I am not a killer, I’m an artist and a modern person. I’ll choose sanity. No criminal charges. No civil lawsuit. Forgiveness, albeit difficult, is wisdom. Peace, albeit trite, is what I want in my short life. Peace.” Ocean is set to perform at the Grammy Awards when the show is held on Feb. 10 in Los Angeles. Read More »

Police say that Grammy-nominated singer Frank Ocean is “desirous of prosecution” after an alleged altercation with dancer-singer Chris Brown at a West Hollywood studio over a parking spot.

Steve Whitmore, a spokesperson for the L.A. Sheriff’s Office, told the Wall Street Journal, “we investigate and then we give it to the district attorney’s office. This is a misdemeanor charge. We have no idea if anybody is going to be officially arrested.” Brown has not been charged in the case.

On Monday, the sheriff’s department confirmed Brown was named in a battery report.

Brown’s publicist did not immediately return a request for comment. A representative for Ocean did not immediately return a request for comment. Read More »

Singer-dancer Chris Brown is named in a battery report, according to Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Steve Whitmore.

According to Whitmore, “Battery is a misdemeanor, which means unwanted touching –it could have been a scuffle, a brush, it’s possible there were punches thrown. It appears to be a scuffle over a parking space. It doesn’t rise to the level of an assault.”

Singer-songwriter Frank Ocean, who is nominated for six Grammy awards including album of the year for “Channel Orange,” might not be able to perform at his best at the Feb. 10th event after an alleged face-off with singer-dancer Chris Brown. According to TMZ, the two men and their entourages had some sort of confrontation at a Los Angeles studio on Sunday night. Representatives for Ocean and Brown did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But Ocean seemed back up elements of the report in two tweets. In one of them Ocean said “got jumped by chris and a couple guys. lol. i only wish everest was there.” (Everest is his Bernese mountain dog, a particularly large breed of canine.) So why is this even news? Because of what Ocean tweeted next: “cut my finger now I can’t play w two hands at the grammys.” It’s unclear what type of performance Ocean plans to make at the Grammys, since the singer is not listed on the Grammy website as an official performer. For his part, Brown posted on his Instagram account on Monday morning “Working on my album. Not working on negativity. Focus on feeding ya family. Bulls— will forever be in the shadows.” [UPDATE: Chris Brown investigated for battery] Read More »

Last night, British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran scored a Grammy nomination for best song for his hit “The A Team.” This Monday, he stopped by the Journal’s music showcase the WSJ Cafe to answer your Twitter questions and play a couple acoustic songs, including his now Grammy-nominated tune. Watch the videos.

Justin Bieber’s manager Scooter Braun is blasting the Grammys for not nominating the singer for a single award this year. Some observers thought that the young Canadian pop star would pick up some recognition for his music this time around given his high public profile, but when the nominations were announced last night he failed to get a nod in a single category.

The snub prompted his manager to take to Twitter to vent. ” I just plain DISAGREE. The kid deserved it. Grammy board u blew it on this one,” Braun tweeted.

Two weeks ago, actress and singer Patti LuPone grabbed a cell phone out of the hand of an audience member who was texting during a performance of her current play, "Shows for Days." The bold move led to an outpouring of support from fans fed up with glowing screens. Ms. LuPone gives us her five rules of theater etiquette.